Control mechanism for trawl hauling winch



1966 F. J. LUKETA I 3,230,790

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR TRAWL HAULING WINCH Original Filed Aug. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F64 A//( J. zuzsm ATTOF 'V Jan. 25, 1966 F. J. LUKETA CONTROL MECHANISM FOR TRAWL HAULING WINCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 28, 1959 INVENTOR. FRANK 1/. Ill/ 6774 Q Wm. M

United States Patent 7 Claims. (Cl. 74-469) This application is a division of my United States Patent application Serial No. 836,636, for Winch for Hauling Trawl Nets, filed August 28, 1959, now abandoned, and

pertains particularly to control mechanism for the driving motor of a winch such as disclosed'in that application.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide convenient and etfective control mechanism for effecting rotation of the drum of such a winch and terminating such rotation.

Specifically, it is an object to provide control elements associated with guard rails for the winch, which not only provide convenient supports for the control elements, but

which enable an operator to locate control elements readily while directing his attention elsewhere, which guard rails provide a convenient rest for the hand or the arm of the operator to reduce fatigue and to enable the control elements to be operated more accurately by the reaction of the operators hand or arm from the guard rails, and which controls are located so that the operator can control the winch from different positions.

The control mechanism to which this invention pertains in particular includes control valve mechanism for a hydraulic motor which is actuated by a swingable control arm for moving a winch speed and direction controller. Such arm is swung by a link reciprocable by sliding movement of a direct control handle mounted on a guard rail at one side of the winch. To' this sliding direct control handle is connected a remote control handle also mounted on the guard rail, but located at the opposite side of the winch in a position spaced lengthwise of the guard rail from the direct control handle.

FIGURE 1 is an aft top perspective of the winch, FIG- URE 2 is a bottom perspective of a portion of the port end of the winch, and FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary port end elevation ofthe winch having parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a detail section through Winch control mechanism taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective of components of the winch control mechanism and associated parts shown in exploded relationship.

FIGURE 6 is a diagram of the control mechanism component connections.

The winch to be controlled by the control mechanism of this invention is intended to be mounted on the after or amidships deck of a trawler. The port and starboard winch end frames 5 and 50 are connected by struts 51, as shown in FIGURE 1, and intermediate flanges 61 and 62 are secured to the drum 6 between the end flanges 42 and 63. The winch drum 6 is driven by motor M mounted on the port end frame 5. While such motor can be electric, it is preferably of the hydraulic type, and the control mechanism of the present invention is best adapted to control a motor of the hydraulic type at various speeds. As shown in FIGURE 6, a pump P can supply liquid under pressure to the speed and direction control valve 20 by which the flow of liquid to the winch driving motor M is controlled to flow at the desired speed through either a forward conduit or a reverse conduit depending on the direction in which it is desired to drive the winch.

As illustrated in the drawings, it is intended that the winch operation shall be controlled from its port end. It

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is desirable, therefore, to protect the operator on a slippery, heaving deck from contact with the reel, lines or trawl and to enable the operator to maintain his position at the winch control station during heavy weather as well as to be able to control the winch quickly and effectively under such circumstances. For this purpose a guard rail 7 spanning the end of the winch and having curved end portions fore and aft of the winch which can be grasped readily is provided. Also, this guard rail serves as a convenient mounting structure for controls for the winch motor, which controls are desirably operable from positions adjacent to the forward side and adjacent to the aft side of the winch.

The winch motor must be of the variable speed type and preferably is also reversible. It is convenient for both the speed and direction of rotation of the motor M to be controlled by tilting the control arm 2, of a speed and direction controller, which can operate to actuate the motor in opposite directions by tilting it either fore or aft from a neutral upright position, and the speed of the motor can be controlled by the degree of tilt of such control arm from the upright position. Utilization of a control am having such a control movement insures that the speed of the motor must be reduced progressively to zero before its direction of rotation is reversed, so as to avoid an abrupt reversal of stress in the motor and movable winch parts. The motor is positively connected to the winch drum 6 in all rotative positions.

While the upright control arm 2 could be grasped directly by the hand for manipulation to control the motor M, the speed and direction controller 20, which may include a regulating valve in the casing, on which the control arm is mounted could be placed in only one location, whereas it is desirable to be able to control operation of the winch from at least two locations, one adjacent to the aft portion of the winch, and one adjacent to the forward portion of the winch. Control mechanism is therefore provided to rock the control arm 2 from side to side, as viewed in FIGURE 3, by shifting fore or aft one or the other of the control handles 21 and 21a shown in FIGURE 1, which are located respectively adjacent to the aft side and the forward side of the winch. The direct control handle 21 is connected to the upper end of the control arm 2 by a generally horizontal link 22 having its end adjacent to the control arm received in a clevis notch in the upper end of such control arm and connected to it by a pivot pin 23. The opposite end of link 22 is journaled to swing relative to the handle 21 so that the connection between the handle and the control arm will not bind as the handle is reciprocated.

In the lower side of the tubular guard rail 7 is a slot 70 in which the upper portion of a slide 24 carrying the direct control handle may slide. A rod 22a extending lengthwise through the hollow of the tubular guard rail 7 has enlarged end portions 25 to one of which the slide 24 is secured by bolts 26. Another slide 2411 is connected by bolts 26a to the enlargement 28 on the other end of the rod 22a. The upper portion of the slide 24a is received in a groove 70a in the bottom of the tubular guard rail 7, which is similar to the groove 70. Because of the interconnection of slides 24 and 24a by the rod 22a, reciprocation of either the direct control handle 21 or the remote control handle 21a will effect corresponding reciprocation of the other handle and consequently of the link 22, resulting in corresponding tilting of the swingable control arm 2.

It may be desirable to prevent the control valve arm 2 from being tilted in either direction from its neutral upright position, and for this purpose a latch clevis 27 may be mounted by pivot 28 on a yoke 29 secured to the end of the winch frame, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. When the latch clevis is in its raised released position of FIGURE 4, the control arm 2 can be swung freely by reciprocation of the control handles 21 and 21a and the link 22. When the latch clevis is swung downward into the position of FIGURE 4, however, so that its arms embrace the control arm, such control arm will be restrained'from tilting in either direction from its neutral upright position. A cross pin 27 extending through the control arm will be engaged by the downwardly swung latch .clevis arm to prevent swinging of such arms downward past the control arm 2 into. a position inoperable to latch the control arm and secure it against motoroperating swinging movement.

In operation the guard rail 7, being firmly anchored to the winch both at its center and at its ends, ,as shown best inFIGURE 2, can be grasped by the winch operator as may be necessary to assist him in keeping his position adjacent to either the forward-winch control handle 21a or the aft winch control handle 21. By resting his hand or forearm on the guard rail 7 either controlhandle 21 Or 21a can beshifted accurately and steadily in one direction or :the other to obtain the most desirable speed ,of winch operation under the particular circumstances. ,As a matter of fact, it will be evident from FIGURES 2 vand .3 that the winch operator can actually grasp the guard rail 7 with one hand and with the thumb of the same hand can shift the control handle 21 or 21ain one direction or the other without releasing his grip on the guard rail. Also, the winch operatorcan locate either of ,the control ,handles'quickly and easily while concentrating .l1is attention and vision in an entirely different direction simply by sliding his hand in onedirection or the other, along the guard rail-7 untilit comes into contact with the nearer control handle, which he can then engage and move still without distracting his attention from watching the trawl.

I claim asmy invention:

-1. Control mechanism for a trawlwinchdrumdriving motor speed-adjusting ,controller means, comprising a guard rail mounted on-the winch, a control element ,carried .by said guard rail and movable relative thereto, and trawl winch drum-driving motor controller means operatively connectedto said control-elementand movablewto efiect a;control operation by movement of said control element relative to said guard rail.

2. The control mechanism defined in claim 1, a second control elementimounted on the guard railspaced lengthwisethereoffrom thefirst control element and movable relative to the guard rail, the guardrail being hollow, and means extending through -the guard rail hollow and operatively connecting'the two control elements for conjoint corresponding movement relative to the guardrail for effecting a control movement of the winch drumdriving motor controller means.

3. The controlmechanism defined in claim 1, a second control element-mounted on the guard rail spaced lengthwisethereof from theafirst control element and movable relative to the guard rail, and-means operatively connecting the two control elements for conjoint corresponding movement relative to the guard rail for effecting a control movement of the winch drum-driving motor controller means.

4. The'control mechanism defined in claim 1, and latch means operable to'limit movement of the winch drum-driving motor controller means in a speed-increasing direction.

5. Control mechanism for a trawl winch drum-driving motor controller means, comprising a generally horizontal guard rail mounted on one end .of the winch and extending in a direction transversely of the winch drum axis, a control: handl means, slidably mounting said control handle on said guard rail in a position adjacent to said guard rail for shifting lengthwise of said guardrail, a tiltable winchldrum driving motor control arm on the drumdriving motor controller means, and means connecting said control-handle and said control arm for eifecting tilting of said. control arm by slidingof said control handlealong said guard rail to efiect a controlling operation of the drum-driving motor controller means.

6- .Th n rol mecha sm de n d n c imi in wh the control handleis mounted on-the guardrail atalocation adjacent to one side of the winch, and a second of the winch drum axis, said guard rail being slotted lengthwise adjacent .toopposite sides of the winch, two slides slidably received in saidslotlQd guard rail atlocationsspacedlengthwise thereof and adjacent to opposite sides of.thefwinch,.a'rodextending through the hollow of said guard rail and connecting ,said slides, a control handle ,mounted on each ,of ,Said slides, each of said control handles being shiftable lengthwise of said guard rail to move said slides and-saidrod lengthwise ofsaid guard rail, a tiltablefwinch drum-driving motor control arm, andmeans connecting said slides and said"control arm for effecting tilting of said control arm-by sliding of said slides, rod and control handles along said guard rail.

References Cited by the. Examiner UNlTED- STATES PATENTS 2,299,583 10/1942 Loewy et al. 2,336,077 5/1958 .Belanger.

B OUGH QN G DUR .Br maryExqmin 

1. CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A TRAWL WINCH DRUM-DRIVING MOTOR SPEED-ADJUSTING CONTROLLER MEANS, COMPRISING A GUARD RAIL MOUNTED ON THE WINCH, A CONTROL ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID GUARD RAIL AND MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO, AND TRAWL WINCH DRUM-DRIVING MOTOR CONTROLLER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL ELEMENT AND MOVABLE TO EFFECT A CONTROL OPERATION BY MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTROL ELEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID GUARD RAIL. 